In a misguided attempt to help out a friend who owed money for illegal drugs, a man allegedly cashed a forged check on his own bank account at a bank in Russellville.

Evan Casey appeared in bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. District Judge Don Bourne set Casey’s bond at $3,500. Casey will appear at the Pope County Circuit Court on April 15.

Bourne ordered Casey to stay out of the bank’s offices.

A Russellville Police Department (RPD) report stated Casey met with Corey Stephens at a McDonald’s restaurant in Russellville where they discussed cashing the check.

Stephens told Casey he had no identification at the time, but needed to cash the check. Casey agreed to cash the check for Stephens to help get him out of trouble.

According to court documents, Stephens told police he had been ripped off buy an individual during a marijuana deal, and he stole the check from the drug buyer’s home.

The check belonged to one of the parents of the drug buyer who short changed Stephens during the marijuana purchase, police said.

Stephens told officers during an interview that the person who actually owned the marijuana lived in Delaware. That person had allegedly threatened to kill Stephens if he did not pay the difference in money lost during the deal that went bad, the report stated.

Stephens also told police that Casey was aware the check was forged and agreed to cash it anyway.

The owner of the checking account reported to police the signature on the check cashed by Casey was a forgery.

Pope County Prosecutor David Gibbons asked on March 12 for an arrest warrant to be issued for Corey Stephens and Evan Casey.

Fifth Judicial District Circuit Judge William Pearson found probable cause and issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Stephens and Casey, court records stated.